The Way of the Spiritual Leader

by Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Section 1. The Growth and Progress of the Church (Part 1)

1. Basic Theories of Development

1) Action Is the Key to Progress

What do you do to achieve progress? You must carry on actions. For any action to be carried out there must be a purpose. When there is a plus, then there will be a minus. Considering this, when you view it from the perspective of the Principles of Creation, what point of view should you take? The most crucial question is your perspective on purpose. The universe needs a purpose. Fulfilling this purpose requires reciprocal conditions. (He is speaking while pointing to the things he wrote on the blackboard.) After establishing the reciprocal conditions, power to bring them together is necessary. Without utilizing force, a being cannot come into existence. That is how it is. Thus, existence requires force, and force necessitates reciprocal conditions. That is the way it is. Since conditions of reciprocity are required, then what about the makeup of God? God exists, but he cannot exist alone. There are subject and object; thus, dual characteristics come into being.


One cannot make progress single-handedly. Therefore, in the days ahead, building the new ideal world also cannot be done alone. One in the position of an object cannot do it just by oneself. [27-223]


The give and take between a subject and an object brings multiplication. Here, you are not the subject -- God is. [60-349]

2) Making Progress

Where is development produced? Development is only possible when two beings, in an environment that has conditions of reciprocity, can both increasingly assume the role of a subject, and when subject and object can both become the subject and reach the stage where both are better than before. This is the Principle emphasized by the Unification Church today.

Considering the origin of a being, action is necessary for it come to exist. In order to carry on activities, force is needed. Where does force come from? Force is never generated alone. There needs to be a subject-object relationship. To exist, action is necessary, and for any action, there must be a subject and an object. Without subject and object, no activity is possible.

Even when nations are trying to establish good diplomatic relations, the attempt can be successful only when they pursue a common purpose that would bring both of them progress. The Communist world and democratic world had been continually carrying on a fierce struggle, but in recent years, the stage has been set for their reconciliation. At this moment, as long as they can gain a perspective of purpose that promises progress, the two worlds will certainly be able to unite. But they lack such a perspective.

What do we need here? The world can become one if there can be presentation of a new purpose which can point the way to obtain the qualifications of a subject and make up for the inadequate and imperfect traits that force one to become a minus . . . It will become one. All beings seek after those who are better than themselves. Why is it that actions are based on pursuits after beings that are better? If there is someone who is absolute, he had to use such a Principle during creation in order to bestow reciprocal wholeness before the absolute subject. [59-78]


All things originate from one source, divide into many entities, and then finally rejoin into one large being. This is how things make progress. From one thing they divide into many, then come together as one. From there they divide again and then become a bigger being. This means that all will enter a one world that is greater than before. [26-189]


In order to develop into something larger than that at the present, subject and object must have give and take. Without that, there cannot come into being something greater than that of the present. Therefore, men as well as all things try to have a reciprocal relationship in pursuit of greater and more valuable things. Similarly, the universe is created in such a way as to have relationships in continual stages. [40-276]

3) The Basic Rules of Progress

In order to become greater, one must invest oneself. "One must invest oneself to become greater," is the truth. You should understand that this is the basic rule of progress in the phenomenal world. You all want to extend out and make progress, right? If the answer is "Yes," then you must invest yourself. Sincere investment will make sincere expansion and development possible. Casual investment will bring haphazard results, while sincere investment will bring serious results. Is that true or false? Is it true or false? [It is true] Is that really so? [Yes]

In the Unification Church, we express this concept in simple terms by using the words, "sacrifice yourself in true ways," and believe that this is only possible through the road of true sacrifice. What is sacrifice? It is pouring in and investing oneself. If you want to do business you should give up money. You must give up the money that you have earned with the deepest love. Investing is the same. Do you understand? [Yes] Sacrifice in true ways means investing oneself. True investment . . . it means that you should make a true investment. [129-60]


In order to make progress, there must be replacement with something of corresponding value. Without such supplement, development is not possible.

Everything is arranged much like the breathing of air that is needed for life. Why do you eat when you are hungry? In order for me to live on, I must provide myself with food. Providing alone is not enough. There must be metabolic activities to consume it. It must go around in circles. [165-67]


What are the basic laws of progress? These must become one. You must follow them. If you follow them from now on, you will not face destruction. (He speaks while pointing to something he wrote on the board.) At this moment, you should know that it is a new age of embarkation. So, what does God do? Among those who live for the sake of themselves and those who live for the sake of their families, who should remain? Those who cherish family should remain. Therefore, God blesses those here who cherish family and lets them lead a good life. Thus these (those who put themselves at the front) will copy the other group's example and naturally follow them. Do you understand? [96-81]


A perfect plus will beget a perfect minus. Therefore, if their heart becomes one, there will come forth a complete object of heart, and if they cannot establish the vertical relationship of bridegroom and bride by . . . the couple's . . . heart, they will establish horizontal relationship of comrades, family, or compatriots and multiply these relationships. [172-95]


Without God's love there cannot be any progress, and where there is absence of God's love, existence itself will be destroyed. [27-342]


The core of love is created in such a way that there can always be harmony; so, when the original heart is touched, the object will without fail try to become one there. In that way, when the object desires to be created into a substantial being by the hands of the subject, then there can be progress. From that moment, development centering on God is possible. [29-321]


The origin of our life is the relationship between father and son. It is the realm where I can say God is the father and I am the son. Without father, I cannot prosper. [26-221]

4) The Form of Progress

Does progress proceed forward in a straight line? No. You should understand that. Even a bullet does not travel in a straight line. It makes this type of turns. What is that? Like the breathing of air, it is carrying on the action of give and take. Do you understand what I mean? [Yes]


Progress moves forward in circular action, in a line similar to a spiral.

2. The Actual Conditions of Progress

1) Progress of Society

For a man, it is not enough to just become a true individual; but he must develop a true family. A true family should not end with just being a family, but must develop further into a true society. Likewise, a true society must progress into true people, true people into a true nation, and a true nation into a true world. [26-111]


For any organization to make progress, there must be a center that can influence the organization and there must be a purpose that the organization can pursue. The greater the scale of the organization that seeks to reach its goals, the greater is the probability that the organization will be divided into departments. In each department, there is a leader who works under the central figure of the organization. The organization can progress forward and realize all of its goals and plans when departmental heads and their members can unite vertically as well as become one with those in other departments. By looking at examples in society and our daily life, we can see that this is true.

To found a company, three factors -- management, facility, and technology -- must be harmonized as one. All things and events follow this rule of three. Philosophers nowadays talk about the "great three" philosophy, but we have established the philosophy of four-position foundation. It is much greater. Until yesterday it was like a two-dimensional plane, but our philosophy is three-dimensional. Therefore, the only one that will live on is our Divine Principles. Do you or do you not know this fact? [We know] You know? [Yes] [26-193]


2) The Progress of a Nation

A nation is always composed of a network of administrative personnel and institutions throughout the nation that center on a figure of authority that dictates national policies. On this foundation, it establishes organizational structure inside and outside, which can connect all of them together as one whole entity.

Even if the organizational structure, down to the grass-roots nation wide, is as complex as the cells in a body, so long as all of them can unite based on the wishes of the central leader without being in conflict, and promote an environment of harmony, then no matter how big the national environment is, it will surely continue to develop. [41-102]


The person of authority will perish if he is not always in the position of giving. After I rise to a high position I must be able to give to those in the low positions. Only by abiding by this Principle will everything develop. [141-44]


A nation is divided into several political parties. They are bound to collide. But even during this conflict, if the two can give-and-take well, they will both develop. In the shape of a spiral, carrying on a circular motion, they will advance on. However, the reality is that they are unable to engage in beneficial activities, but rather engage in conflicting and destructive actions as if moving on a flat plane. We must also come up with a way of bringing unity to this type of situation. [28-247]


A wealthy individual or nation was not always that way from the beginning. If it is a large nation, then for that nation to become wealthy, it had to experience misery and suffering that corresponds to the scale of its final success, and in the process had to determine its destiny on the forked road of life and death. You should know that history has progressed thus far with numerous such stories behind it.

When the resolution to a crisis came, it came not based on the merit of one individual, but because the nation and its people, united as one centering on the destiny of the whole, made their utmost effort. When a nation was overcoming a crisis, it went through the process of resolving the difficulty by the vertical and universal unity of the whole, and on that foundation brought the continual result in development. As a result, it was able to build an advanced nation. We cannot deny this fact. [27-272]

3) The Progress of History

Viewed from the perspective of the principles and fundamental rules, the world today is not a simple world. This world is to be restored. Originally, there was to be a realization of a cultural world through the connection with the parents in heaven. But until today, all was done based on Satan.

The original history of creation was to begin centering on Adam and Eve and evolve into a world, but since that was not materialized, there must be conflicts during the course of restoration through indemnity. [16-199]


Until now, the history of fallen men has progressed centering on the foundation which can bring the development into a world greater than the individual, family, the nation, the world, and the universe. But this is not how it should be. It has been six thousand years since the fall of Adam and Eve. If humanity had the world view which led them to cherish the day six thousand years ago rather than place all hopes in the world six thousands years later, then the world would have already been unified. But because humanity was in the position where they had to place all hopes in the future, the history was delayed until today. [25-115]


Those in the daytime mock those in the night, but you must know that history was advanced by those who were mocked and chased. Those who were chased around and driven out have revolutionized the world and brought its progress. [27-312]


Only after walking through the path of night and going past the midnight, can one greet the bright morning light. Therefore, those who did the chasing and driving have not actually brought destruction. Instead of blocking their path, they have made contributions by chasing them forward and encouraged them on. In this way, history until today made continual advancement by those who were being chased. [27-312]


What is the ultimate cardinal point with which we can pursue an ideal and bring the resolution? It is the words of God. In other words, we should know that history advanced until today in order to determine a standard through which the truth sought by the humanity and the truth that God tried to establish join together as one, and this in turn becomes one with God. The external world evolved also in preparation for this standard of truth. In other words, the material world also has been making progress. This task was assigned to science. [20-310]


4) The Progress of Religion

God has never made advancement in the dispensation by striking the enemy. Rather than striking the enemy to further the dispensation, he sacrificed those whom he loved the most and were closest to him. This is how he advanced the dispensation. This advancement is progressing toward the Kingdom of Heaven. [320-223]


The world should have created the environment where God can dwell, and since such a place was not built, a new perspective should have been formed and a new place should have been created. If we cannot accomplish this while alive, we must achieve it even after our death. Thus Christianity advanced forward while shedding much blood. Everyone wants to live in a place that they prefer. Why would anyone want to die? [20-313]


When does religion progress? It makes advancement while undergoing difficulty and persecution. Why? Because in that situation there is the possibility of God's Will to be realized. Because God works when there is such possibility, every religion makes progress while being persecuted. If there is no persecution, when would the Unification Church advance forward? It must voluntarily seek after a path of suffering. Until the day that the whole world follows the ideals of the church, it must take the road opposite to the society. Why? The good world and the evil world walk two different paths.

Even if the world welcomes the Unification Church, its members should not think, "Now, since the world welcomes us, and the time when we can materialize all our wishes has come, we should do all that the people in the society do, and live a similar lifestyle!" The less the persecution, the more the church should voluntarily take the attitude, "Since we are trying to influence this evil world and are trying to digest this environment, we should walk the path of suffering." Some people ask, "When would this road of persecution come to an end? When would the Unification Church realize all of its ideals?" This type of thought is very different from the initial attitude at the time of the church's founding, which is in agreement with God's wishes. [108-296]


The religion is bound to develop when under persecution. Why is that so? In such a place, Satan feels powerless, and thus retreats. Why? Because we are loving the enemy, we have set the foundation of having loved Satan, the devil, the number one perpetuator, and his sons and daughters. Therefore, the place where one loves and prays for blessing is connected with the place where God exhibited his love. Do you understand? Thus the door of persecution has opened up to the religious world. Although there have been many religious leaders and followers of faiths, they all did not realize this fact. Today, with the advent of the Unification Church, with the coming of this teacher of the Unification Church, all of this has been revealed. [127-115]

 Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Information
Tparents Home